Pasadena Council Confronts Shelter Closure and Housing Crisis Amid Fire Recovery

A number of residents and community advocates urged the Pasadena City Council on Monday to keep the Convention Center shelter open and to expand housing assistance to people affected by the Eaton Fire after they learned the facility was scheduled to close. Hundreds remain displaced by recent fires.

“There needs to be more resources allocated, like counselors, like new and fresh clothes, new and fresh food, new and fresh products for them to use,” said Michael Williams during public comment. “There needs to be more space open up and we need to help those folks. It is not good enough that the City of Pasadena just gives those people a place to stay for a month and then lets them go along their own path.”

Deborah Lutz proposed direct City intervention in the housing crisis.

“I propose that the City of Pasadena guarantee that if a resident cannot pay their rent because they were economically affected negatively by the fires, that the City would then guarantee the rent to the property owner until either eviction is completed, when the emergency order is lifted, or that the rent is paid,” she told the Council, warning that without such funding, residents would face insurmountable debt.

Adriana Bautista described a worsening housing crisis, noting “we’re seeing the real estate market take complete and total advantage of the families who are displaced right now.”

She reported that only “four landlords have been charged, although there are thousands of cases in the County of price gouging.”

Bautista called for immediate rent control measures and criticized Federal Emergency Management Agency trailer quality, noting they are “notorious for being unclean and having formaldehyde in them.”

“The residents in the shelter don’t have access to closed donations and many of them do not have shoes, only sandals,” reported Ash, a shelter volunteer. “There are still families in the shelter with children that do not have housing or family to help. Pasadena and Altadena are a community and we need to help our Altadena families without pointing the finger as to whose problem it is. When Pasadena has the resources to help the few families that are still left in the shelter with nowhere to go with a sense of urgency, why are there still families with young children in the shelter?”

Sonja Berndt referenced Rabbi Joshua Grater’s earlier proposal for “available motel rooms on the east side to provide interim housing for our unhoused residents with services” that could accommodate up to 110 persons.

Councilmember Tyron Hampton reported his understanding that 300 trailers could potentially be available for residents to live in until permanent housing could be arranged for them. That information is yet to be verified.

The Council directed staff to establish a “clear and efficient and accessible pathway for people inside the center to find temporary or long-term housing,” examine shelter extension options, secure a possible second location, and provide more regular updates on housing assistance efforts.